NLFA Life Skills Program: Building Athletes for Life After the Whistle

The North Louisiana Football Alliance (NLFA) was created to be more than a spring football league. It’s a post-graduate developmental platform designed to help young men grow on and off the field—through structure, accountability, mentorship, and real pathways into work and career training. That’s the purpose of the NLFA Life Skills Program: to make sure every athlete who enters the NLFA leaves with more options than they started with.

A brief overview and purpose

The NLFA Life Skills Program exists to close a common gap for many post-graduate athletes—especially those whose college football opportunities may be limited or uncertain. While the NLFA provides film, coaching, and competition, the Life Skills Program focuses on the bigger picture:

• Workforce readiness: professionalism, communication, punctuality, and accountability
• Career exposure: hands-on access to trades and job opportunities
• Education support: credentialing options and guidance to continue learning
• Mentorship and stability: connecting athletes to adults and organizations who can help them build a plan

In short, the NLFA is preparing athletes for the next level of football and the next level of life.

The power of partnership

The NLFA Life Skills Program is strengthened through partnerships with organizations that understand what young adults need: clear training routes, real job prospects, and supportive systems. Three key partners provide direct trade and job opportunity pipelines for NLFA athletes:

1) SRT Sales / Landers Dodge: Career opportunities and industry exposure

SRT Sales / Landers Dodge represents a practical bridge between athletes and the workforce—especially for those who are ready to step into employment, learn on the job, and build a career in a fast-moving industry.

• Through this partnership, NLFA athletes can be connected to opportunities such as:
• Entry-level employment pathways
• Career exploration in automotive and related fields
• Exposure to professional workplace expectations and advancement potential

For athletes who learn best by doing, this kind of real-world connection can be the difference between “having potential” and actually getting started on a career track.

2) BPCC – EMPWR LA: Training pathways that lead to employment

Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC), through EMPWR LA, offers athletes a route toward employable skills and workforce training aligned with today’s job market. The value of this partnership is simple: it helps athletes turn motivation into credentials and turn credentials into employment.

This collaboration supports athletes who need:

• Structured training options and guidance
• Workforce development programming
• A local, accessible post-graduate pathway that aligns with job demand

EMPWR LA is especially impactful for young adults who are ready to work but need a clear on-ramp and support system to get there.

3) NLTCC – Trade School: Hands-on trade education for long-term stability

Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College (NLTCC) provides the kind of hands-on trade education that creates long-term stability and upward mobility. Trades remain one of the strongest “earn while you learn” pathways available—and this partnership helps athletes see trades not as a fallback, but as a solid first choice.

NLFA athletes benefit from:

• Exposure to multiple skilled-trade options
• Training programs that can lead to certifications and careers
• A clear next step for athletes not pursuing college football

For many athletes, trade school can be the foundation that supports everything else—family goals, financial independence, and future leadership.

A program built for outcomes, not just inspiration

The NLFA Life Skills Program isn’t about motivational talk—it’s about measurable opportunity. The league’s vision is that every athlete leaves the NLFA with at least one of the following:

• A job opportunity or job readiness plan
• Enrollment into a workforce/trade training pathway
• A mentor connection and accountability structure
• Improved life skills that translate into adult stability

By partnering with SRT Sales / Landers Dodge, BPCC – EMPWR LA, and NLTCC, the NLFA is creating a model where development is real, local, and actionable.

The bigger mission

Football may be the platform, but the mission is bigger: help young athletes become dependable men, skilled workers, and community leaders. The NLFA Life Skills Program is proof that a developmental league can do more than play games—it can change trajectories.

If you’re an athlete looking for structure and opportunity, a parent looking for a real plan after graduation, or a business and community partner looking to invest in local talent, the NLFA Life Skills Program is built to meet that moment—head on.